1. Filed of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photographic printing apparatus including a reader means for reading character information magnetically recorded on a photographic film, an exposing unit for exposing a photosensitive material with an image recorded on the photographic film, and a printing means for printing the character information on the photosensitive material.
2. Description of the Related Art
The photographic printing apparatus described above is designed for use in printing a photographic film capable of magnetically recording character information in the course of the photography. Namely, the apparatus is provided in accordance with the so-called Advanced Photo System. With this apparatus, the character information recorded on such photographic film is read by the reader means, and then the printing means prints this character information on a photosensitive material such as a print paper which was exposed with image of the film. In this respect, the convention provides the two types, i.e. one type of printing the character information on the same front side of the photosensitive material as the image and the other type of printing the information on the back side of the material.
The character information to be recorded on the photographic film may be presented in different kinds of languages. In addition, in the case of the Japanese language for instance, the information may also be presented in different notations such as the Roman character notation, `katakana` notation. The printer prints the information without any modifications thereof, namely, exactly as the reader means reads the information from the photographic film. Specifically, in the case of English language character information, this information will be printed in the particular presentation form as required by the English language. In the case of French language information, the information will be printed in the form required by the French language.
Further, if the character information is given in the Japanese `katakana` notation, the printing of this information will be presented in that notation.
According to the convention, as described above, the character information may be printed only in exactly the same presentation form as that of its recording. And, the predetermined presentation forms allowed by the convention are limited to those of the languages which are relatively widely used in the world. Hence, it cannot be said that the consumer is allowed much freedom in the character information to be printed. This fact decreases the usefulness and attraction of the new system. One cannot afford to dismiss this disadvantage if world-wide acceptance and popularity is expected from the new system. Moreover, even if the form is given in the native language of the consumer, the consumer find it still unattractive, if he/she is denied any freedom in the contents, e.g. sentences or phrases or presentation style.